Bedard just made an off-hand comment that actually makes a lot of sense. If the Pats are willing to let Welker go this offseason, I could see him having a lot of interest in Danny Amendola.

There's been speculation about that for awhile.

That said, why would the Pats want to spend fairly big bucks on a similar player with a growing injury history? Amendola isn't going to be cheap (and if he is, I'd assume there will be a huge effort by the Rams to retain him and other teams will get involved). Given the way that Welker's role could be (allegedly) reduced, I don't see why the team would spend money on a #3 WR.

They'd be better off spending Welker's money on the D, OL or #2 WR and drafting a slot WR or finding someone on the scrap heap. As great as Welker has been, I don't see a reason to invest a lot of money in that position unless it is Welker himself._________________

And (not that I think Kolb is a particularly good QB, but) tomorrow, the narrative from at least one sports talk blowhard will be about how Kevin Kolb can't get it done in Arizona, and how great QBs work around problems with the offensive line. That was a pitiful, pitiful showing by Arizona's blockers.

Holy crap, Kevin Kolb has been sacked 7 times in this game. He has sacked 8 times last week.

The Cardinals OL is starting to look like it did in the preseason, just a hot mess.

Yeah, I thought Kolb looked ok when given time but that was truly one of the worst OL performances I've ever seen. Kolb was running when no one was there by the end of the game._________________
ELRammy

Bedard just made an off-hand comment that actually makes a lot of sense. If the Pats are willing to let Welker go this offseason, I could see him having a lot of interest in Danny Amendola.

There's been speculation about that for awhile.

That said, why would the Pats want to spend fairly big bucks on a similar player with a growing injury history? Amendola isn't going to be cheap (and if he is, I'd assume there will be a huge effort by the Rams to retain him and other teams will get involved). Given the way that Welker's role could be (allegedly) reduced, I don't see why the team would spend money on a #3 WR.

They'd be better off spending Welker's money on the D, OL or #2 WR and drafting a slot WR or finding someone on the scrap heap. As great as Welker has been, I don't see a reason to invest a lot of money in that position unless it is Welker himself.

Yeah, there really is no point in a trade off between Amendola and Welker. All we know is Welker has a special connection with Brady and flourishes under our system and Amendola is just a comparable talent who will want likely almost comparable money and is an unproven.

That being said, I think a WR is more of a need than people give credit. Lloyd really hasn't even proven he can consistently win the 1 on 1 matchups he gets because Welker/Gronk/Hernandez were the dominant focus of defensive game plans, let alone be the de facto go to WR that defenses try to stop.

If we drop Welker we need to draft/sign a guy who can immediately start at WR and be groomed to become a #1 we can count on when Lloyds contract is up._________________

Bedard just made an off-hand comment that actually makes a lot of sense. If the Pats are willing to let Welker go this offseason, I could see him having a lot of interest in Danny Amendola.

There's been speculation about that for awhile.

That said, why would the Pats want to spend fairly big bucks on a similar player with a growing injury history? Amendola isn't going to be cheap (and if he is, I'd assume there will be a huge effort by the Rams to retain him and other teams will get involved). Given the way that Welker's role could be (allegedly) reduced, I don't see why the team would spend money on a #3 WR.

They'd be better off spending Welker's money on the D, OL or #2 WR and drafting a slot WR or finding someone on the scrap heap. As great as Welker has been, I don't see a reason to invest a lot of money in that position unless it is Welker himself.

Yeah, there really is no point in a trade off between Amendola and Welker. All we know is Welker has a special connection with Brady and flourishes under our system and Amendola is just a comparable talent who will want likely almost comparable money and is an unproven.

That being said, I think a WR is more of a need than people give credit. Lloyd really hasn't even proven he can consistently win the 1 on 1 matchups he gets because Welker/Gronk/Hernandez were the dominant focus of defensive game plans, let alone be the de facto go to WR that defenses try to stop.

If we drop Welker we need to draft/sign a guy who can immediately start at WR and be groomed to become a #1 we can count on when Lloyds contract is up.

There's really only four positions I'm even interested in drafting next year: OL, DL, DB and WR. That's it. I don't want to see picks go to any other position unless it's in the late rounds, because there is talent likely to be available at those positions, and the Patriots could put together a truly dominant squad for the long term if they hit on a few picks at those positions.

That said, why would the Pats want to spend fairly big bucks on a similar player with a growing injury history? Amendola isn't going to be cheap (and if he is, I'd assume there will be a huge effort by the Rams to retain him and other teams will get involved). Given the way that Welker's role could be (allegedly) reduced, I don't see why the team would spend money on a #3 WR.

They'd be better off spending Welker's money on the D, OL or #2 WR and drafting a slot WR or finding someone on the scrap heap. As great as Welker has been, I don't see a reason to invest a lot of money in that position unless it is Welker himself.

True. First the Pats need to find a #2 outside receiver that's good enough to keep the slot receiver off the field in 2-receiver formations. If they succeed at that, then the slot receiver isn't going to have a major role anyway, especially if one of the RBs steps up as a pass protector and receiver.

That said, why would the Pats want to spend fairly big bucks on a similar player with a growing injury history? Amendola isn't going to be cheap (and if he is, I'd assume there will be a huge effort by the Rams to retain him and other teams will get involved). Given the way that Welker's role could be (allegedly) reduced, I don't see why the team would spend money on a #3 WR.

They'd be better off spending Welker's money on the D, OL or #2 WR and drafting a slot WR or finding someone on the scrap heap. As great as Welker has been, I don't see a reason to invest a lot of money in that position unless it is Welker himself.

True. First the Pats need to find a #2 outside receiver that's good enough to keep the slot receiver off the field in 2-receiver formations. If they succeed at that, then the slot receiver isn't going to have a major role anyway, especially if one of the RBs steps up as a pass protector and receiver.